Train-annunciator



(No Moda.) s sheetssheet 1.

C. H. RITTENHOUSB.

TRAIN ANNUNUIATOR.

No. 542,108. Patented July 2, 1895.

` NoTB (NoModel.) 3 Sheets-Sheep 2.

o.- H. RITTENHQUSE, TRAIN ANNUNGIATOR.

No. 542,108. Patented July 2, 1895.

(N Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

C. H. RITTENHOUSE. TRAIN ANNUNUIATOR.

Patented Juli' 2, '1895.

BIAHJJNO 'zum' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. RITTENHOUSE, OF KENDALLVILLE, INDIANA.

TRAIN-ANNUNCIATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,108, dated July 2,189 5. i Application lled February 14, 1895, Serial No. 538,433. (Nomodel.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES I-I. RrTrEN- HOUSE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Kendallville, in the county ot' Noble andState of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTrain- Annnuciators; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference loeing had to the accompanying drawings, which formapartof this specilcatiomand inwhich- Figure l is a front elevation ofmy improved electric train-annunciator or automatic time table. Fig. 2is a perspective view of the interior mechanism of the same, lookingatit from the rear side. Fig. 3 is a detail view, in side elevation, ofthe pawl-andratchet mechanism for actuating the rotary indicator-drum.,Figa 4t is a detail view, in perspective, of the duplex ratchet wheelshown in side elevation in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 isa detail view of the rotarycam foroperating the sliding shutter used in conjunction with therevolving indicator-drum. Fig. 6 is a top view of the said revolvingdrum with its sliding shutter and the rotary cam for operating the same,and Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view on the vertical planeindicated by the broken line marked X X in Fig. l.

Like letters ot' reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

My invention relates to devices or timetables for announcing inrailway-stations, hotels, and other public places the deviation fromschedule time in the arrival and departure of passenger-trains, orso-called trainannunciatorsg and it consists in the construction andcombination of parts of an electrically-operated device or apparatus ofthat class, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Heretofore it has been customary to place blackboards in conspicuousplaces in railwaystations, upon which is written in chalk the number ofminutes any due passenger-train is behind schedule time, for theinformation of passengers about to take that train, as well as forpersons expecting friends or relatives to arrive. This is notonly a slowand cumbersome method, but this way of announcing the status of trainscannot well be carried out number of specimens, all of which may beaactuated simultaneously and instantaneously from a central point orstation by means of electrical connections. In this manner I am enabledto 'provide hotels and other publicV places located at any distance fromthe rail way-station with annunciators which shall inform the public ofthe exact time of arrival of any train which maybe late or overdue,which, it will be readily perceived, is agreat convenience to thetraveling public, as it enables passen gers to avoid the long andtediouswaiting at the station fora train which may be upward of an houroverdue.

On the accompanying three sheets of drawings I have shown an annunciatorequipped with two sets of indicators; but it will be readily understoodthat this arrangement may be duplicated or multiplied to any desired eX-tent.

The apparatus consists of a box or casing A, the interior of which isdivided by one or more transverse vertical partitions a into two or morecompartments B, B', dac. In the upper part of each of these compartmentsis located an electromagnet C, the battery-wire of which is providedwith a circuit-breaker c, preferably inthe nature of an ordinaryelectric call-button, while its armature lD is connected to one end of alever E, having its 'fulcrum at e, and provided at its opposite or innerend with a pawl or detent F, the lower free end of which is adapted toengage the teeth of a ratchet-wheel G, fastened upon a shaft H, whichintersects the lower partof the series of compartments horizontally andlongitudinally, so as to intermittently revolve said shaft and with itthe indicator drum or cylinder I, which is also mounted upon the shaft,and which will be described mor-e in detail later on.

The ratchet-wheel G is double or duplex; as shown more clearly in Fig. 4`on the drawings and indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 3

one end a rod p, the free end of which slides' in keepers q and isprovided with a laterallyprojecting stud p', which enters a groover in acam-wheel R, which is also mounted uporty and rotates with shaft H. Theoffset r in the cam-'groove r is so arranged and disposed relative tothe drum I, which is mounted upon and revolves with the same shaft oraxis H, that While normally the sliding shutter P will cover the l hourpart of the series of legends marked upon the rectangular faces of thedrum in the manner described, yet when this drum, and also the cam-wheelR, shall have made one complete revolution the offset r in thecam-groove will strike the stud p', so as to push this to one side andthus pull upon the arm p and slide the shutter P back, thus exposing thel hour part of the several legends marked upon the revolving drum. Acomplete revolution of the cam-Wheel R in the opposite or reversedirection will, of course, result in the pushing back of the slidingshutter P into its former or original position, so as to cover in part(as described) the legends upon the faces of the rotaryannunciator-drum. When it is remembered that each arriving and departingtrain, during the usual twelve-hour schedule, is represented by a rotaryindicator-drum, marked in the manner described, (or in any otherappropriate manner,) provided with its sliding shutter, operatingmechanism, and appropriate electrical connections and batteries, themanner of using this apparatus will readily be understood. Thecircuit-breakers (or callbuttons) appertaining tothe respectiveelectromagnets (of which there is, of course, one for each indicator)are all located at the superindendents or train-dispatchers office or atsome other convenient and eligible point, each bearing the number ofthat particular train which it is intended to report. By pressing theappropriate button the desired number of times, corresponding to theexact number of times the corresponding indicator-drum has to revolve inorder to exhibit the requisite legend, this Will be effected, and eitheronce or twice every twenty-four hours, as may be desired, (and thetripping mechanism4 adjusted accordingly,) each indicator-cylinder willbe aut0` matically returned to its normal or original starting position.

The convenience to all travelingpeople of this apparatus and arrangementis tooobvious and apparent to require extended explanation.

Itis the intention to place a specimen of this apparatus not only ineach of the public Waiting-rooms and on the platforms of the station,but also in leading hotels and at `other places Where travelerscongregate, so

that any one intent upon taking a certain train can be easily andofficially advised of the exact time when it Will` be necessary for himor her to be at the station.

` It is mypurpose to utilize this device largel)r for'advertisingpurposes, employing the front sideof the casing A, above the columns ofWindows, for the display of either stationary or movable advertisingcards, and as it is the intention to locate my electric aununciatorconspicuously in railway-stations, hotel-lobbies, and at other publicplaces which are frequented bylarge crowds of people the advantages ofthis apparatus as an advertising device will readily suggest itself, sothat the cost of placing and operating the device may, in a largemeasure, at least, be covered by the revenue received from advertisers.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States- 1. In a train-annunciator operatedby electricity, the combination with the intermittently-operated magnetsand their 'appropriate armature of the lever E having pivoted detent Fprovided With the pivoted springactuated pawl or finger L; rotaryindicatordrum I having shaft H provided with theduplex ratchet-wheel G G5 pivoted back-lash Apawl K K; and rod .I connecting said pawl to thearmature-lever; substantially as and for the purpose shown and setforth.

2. The combination with the rotary indicator or annunciator-drum, itsshaft and actuating duplex ratchet-wheel, and the pawls or detentsoperating the same in the manner set forth, of the sheave 0Q2-cord orchain j carrying a Weight j at its free end; detent F provided with thepivoted spring-actuated pawl L; lever M having tappet m; connecting-rodm; and the clock-escapement adapted to trip the tappet at predeterminedintervals; substantially as and for the `purposeshovvn and set forth.

3. The combination with the slotted casing, the intermittently rotatingannunciatordrum, and the described mechanism for operating the sameelectrically, of thesliding- .shutter P provided with the rod p havingstud p; cam-Wheel R having offset r; and

the sheave, Weighted cord, and tripping-mechanism for restoring the drumto its initial position automatically; substanti-ally as and for thepurpose shown and set forth.

4. The combination, in an electrically-oploo IIO

erated tran-annunciator, of the following cooperating elements, to wit:the exterior slotted casing subdivided by vertical partitions into twoor more compartments; a clock-mechanism mounted in 'or upon said casingand having an exposed dial, the electro-magnets With their appropriatecircuits and circuitbreakers; the armature appertaining to the magnetsand the lever connected thereto; the rotary annuncator-drum providedwith a central shaft, a concentric grooved sheave, and a duplexratchet-Wheel mounted upon and revolving With the shaft; the duplexdetent` engaging with its free ends the oppositelysloping teeth ofadjacent Wheels forming the t :ov combined and juxtaposed to operatesubstantiaily in the manner and for the purpose herein shown anddescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto afxedmy signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES H. RITTENHOUSE.

Iitnessesz LOUIS BAGGER, BENNETT S. JONES.

